Out of all the up and coming composers in the industry today, I feel that John Frizzell has the capabilities of being the next superstar. Talent wise, many composers are in the same general area of skill when they've made it as far as film composition. What separates Frizzell from the pack, in my opinion, is his ability to capture the perfect tone of a composition. His music has a welcoming feel to it.
In recent years, Frizzell has been logging assignments in the horror genre and he's been doing the best he can with it. His recent assignment is for the Hilary Swank film, "The Reaping," which deals with personal tragedy and biblical plagues (what a combination, huh?!). Thematically, this movie offered Frizzell a bit more development room that that of the generic horror fare.
By and large, "The Reaping" is a very well made soundtrack that is expertly produced. The blend of choir, orchestra and electronics come together to make for a very sinister score. Indeed, one can feel the very breath of evil within the ominous cues of the soundtrack. While you will find a few moments of lightness, this is primarily a dark listening experience. Adding to the creepy feel is the use of piano by Frizzell, creating melodies that feel unsettling by its simple notes. Less is sometimes more and just a few bars from the piano provide further evidence of that.
The standout pieces from this score are the tracks which feature the choir at work. These moments offer a gothic, powerful blend that takes the listening experience to a higher level. Again, Frizzell's command of tone is on display here as all the layers of music, instrumental and vocal, are evenly balanced. One level never breaches upon the other and makes for an impeccable flow.
Other areas of interest on the score involve the electronic effects, which are interestingly constructed and used in key spots to add another layer of edge to the proceedings. These electronic effects don't infringe too much on the overall score, however, and didn't interfere in my enjoyment of the album. In fact, I though the effects were rather nifty and I look forward to hearing them used in the movie.
Overall, if you're keen on the horror genre and its scores, than you'll certainly become a fan of "The Reaping." Personally, it's very rare for horror music to win me over, and is probably last on the list of genres I enjoy exploring musically. With Frizzell's talent, however, it's hard to deny his musical voice and this soundtrack very nearly did win me over. In the end, my final grade is more an indication of my lack of interest in the genre than it is the quality of score.
Looking ahead, I would very much like to see Frizzell be given opportunities that are a bit more diverse to see what he can do with them. In a way, he might be doomed by his own, recent success of composing effective music for horror movies and could be in a situation where the industry continues to turn to him for such. While that might have a good premise for a Twilight Zone episode, it would be nice to see that niche evolve for Frizzell because I am certain he is capable of delivering grand music for us all.
Final Score: John Frizzell creates a sinister, imposing soundtrack with his score for "The Reaping." While most horror scores are inaccessible to listen to on their own, this one offers the listener more than standard fare and makes us all hope that Frizzell can get the blockbuster scoring assignment he deserves.
